Apple announced a refreshed iPad mini on Monday, introducing an 8.5‑inch OLED display and its latest A20 Pro processor. The entry‑level model starts at $699, while the cellular version begins at $849. The update arrives ahead of Apple’s scheduled “Pro and Tell” event, signaling the company’s willingness to roll out new hardware on its own timeline.
The new OLED panel offers a peak brightness of 1,200 nits—about twice the maximum of the 2024 iPad mini—and can sustain 600 nits across the entire screen for both SDR and HDR content. Apple also cites a contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 and 24 percent thinner bezels, making the screen slightly larger than the previous 8.3‑inch display. Buyers can opt for Apple’s nano‑texture coating to reduce glare.
A first for the iPad line, the 2026 mini includes what Apple calls an “Acoustic Display.” Custom woofers are integrated behind the screen, delivering deeper bass and higher volume, while tweeters are hidden between the glass and the aluminum frame to improve clarity in the high‑frequency range. The device is now IP67‑rated for water and dust resistance.
Inside, the tablet is powered by the A20 Pro system‑on‑a‑chip that debuted with the iPhone 18 Pro earlier this year. Apple highlights the chip’s AI processing capabilities, noting that the mini can run local large language models, though everyday users may not need that power. The A20 Pro also promises a faster CPU than the A17 Pro found in the 2024 iPad mini, translating to smoother performance in daily tasks.
Connectivity gets a boost with Apple’s in‑house N1 chip, supporting Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Cellular models feature the C2 modem, which Apple says delivers data speeds about 50 percent quicker than the previous generation’s modem.
Camera hardware remains similar to recent iPad models. The front-facing 12‑megapixel lens includes Center Stage for more natural video calls, while the rear houses a single 12‑megapixel sensor with Smart HDR 4 and 4K video capture at 60 fps.
The refreshed iPad mini will be available in Midnight and Starlight finishes, with storage options of 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB. Pre‑orders open on October 28, and the tablet ships on November 6.
Correction (October 26, 2026, 1:03 PM ET): An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the previous‑generation iPad mini started at 64 GB of storage. The model actually began at 128 GB. We apologize for the mistake.